This is my attempt to create a sort of "entry" location for those wanting to start modding but do not have a clue what to do, where to go or what to ask.

Here is another good place for intro information: Oblivion Mods FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Modding for Oblivion can be done at multiple levels with multiple levels of skill and required knowledge.

1. Creating savegame characters - This is the process of configuring a character at the start of Oblivion and saving your game.

2. Creating plugin modifications - This requires a version of the Construction Set and a desire to change something in the game. With this, you can change the stats on weapons and armor, create new races, create new NPCs or creatures to fight, create buildings, quests, etc.

3. Create texture modifications - This requires a graphics manipulation program and some required support tools such as a BSA extractor, DDS Converter and maybe even NifSkope and a Normal Map tool such as CrazyBump.

4. Create new models - This requires a 3D modeling program such as Blender and some required support tools such as a NIF converter, NifSkope and a graphics manipulation program. With this, you can create new weapons, armor, creatures, architecture, etc. never before seen in Oblivion.

5. Create new animations - This requires a 3D modeling program such as Blender and some required support tools such as NIFBlend and NifSkope.

6. Release your mod - This can be viewed as a boring step but what you do here can have long-lasting impact on the modding community and you should consider this just as important as any other piece of the puzzle.

Now it is time to start providing more details and links for each area of interest:

1. Creating savegame characters - This is one of the least complicated ways to provide content for the Oblivion community but it still requires time, knowledge and preparation. When creating a savegame for distribution, it is recommended that you disable all installed mods other than what is absolutely necessary to create your character (such as a custom race mod like Slof's Clouded Leopard). Then you have the decision to provide the savegame at the initial prison cell before the tutorial starts and / or provide a savegame of the character just prior to existing the sewers which is just after the tutorial. You can also use template savegames that have done this already and use Oblivion Face Exchange Lite or Wrye Bash to copy your face to another (more standard) savegame template. (Example: Oblivion Face Totality Pack). You can use the Savegame Manager tool in Oblivion Mod Manager to see what plugins were enabled when a savegame was created. When finished, see the step below on how to release your mod.

2. Creating plugin modifications - You will need to download the Construction Set from TESNexus or the Official Bethesda site. You can then get information on how to use this tool from the Construction Set Wiki. Once there, you can find helpful areas such as the Getting Started Guide, Scripting details and Tutorials. You can also download a compiled resources of online information in a file called Oblivion Mod Makers Manual. When finished, see the step below on how to release your mod.

3. Create texture modifications - You have two options here: Create texture replacers that change all occurrences of the texture in the existing game which does not require a plugin or create new and custom items that use these textures...thus unique items that did not exist in the game prior to your plugin. The textures are in DDS format and will require conversion to/from your image manipulation program to/from DDS format. Here is a comprehensive list of DDS Tools. When finished, see the step below on how to release your mod.

4. Create new models - There are many 3D modeling programs out there but for the new modeler on a shoe-string budget, it is hard to beat Blender and the vast amount of tutorials available. Other tools are XSI Mod Tool (free), GMAX (free), Milkshape 3D (trialware), Autodesk Maya (commercial), Autodesk 3DS Max (commercial) and Lightwave 3D (commercial). When finished, see the step below on how to release your mod.

5. Create new animations - Start with animation tutorials. When finished, see the step below on how to release your mod.

6. Release your mod - After you create and test your mod, you will need to create a Readme file and some screenshots. If your mod does not utilize any of the 1.2 patch scripts, you might consider back-reving your plugin to an older format so it can be used on non-patched versions of Oblivion. It might help you save time with larger mods (more than just a plugin) to use the utility called TES4Files to help prepare and package your mod. It would also be advisable to know File Compression Basics and to acquire and familiarize yourself with the tool called 7-Zip. If you would like to support people using Oblivion Mod Manager, you could create an OMOD out of your mod and then re-convert to an archive for release as an OMOD-Ready archive that can be quickly turned back into an OMOD or manually extracted like any other archive which is the best of both world without creating two separate files. Then upload your mod to a modding site as well as some File Mirror sites for redundancy (in case the modding site goes down). Then let everyone know about your mod by creating a release thread on the Official Elder Scrolls Forums. This typically has a title of "[RELz] name of mod" and a copy of your readme file as the body of the post with a link to everywhere it can be downloaded.

LHammonds

Heh, what happened to scripting new spells, eq, etc, utilizing existing Oblivion stuff?

I don't get what you are talking about here. That is all done in the Construction Set and tutorials exist for that on the CS Wiki...all covered in Step #2.

Thank you LHammonds,

That's very helpful.

Do you have something on "Loading Screen"...I looked up the loading screen customization walkthrough in the wiki...

But failed in doing mine...as I don't mastered photoshop (which I use)...

For example I could not understand how to combined the master loading screen file and my jpeg file and make it a layer of the master file...(not sure I am clear).

In any case thanks a lot...

No.

Maybe these would be helpful: Loading Screen Design Kit or Loading Screens Themed AddOn and DevKit

I would recommend that you examine other "loading screen" mods to see how theirs is setup (file locations).

Alternative Loading Screens And Tips
Atmospheric Dark UI Loading Screens
Dark UI Loading Screens
GR_Loading_Screens
etc.

Just do a search for the word "loading" to see a larger listing.

LHammonds

Is there one for clothes creating, Because i am making some clothes models and i need to know how to turn them into items...

Please pm me if you find i clothes creation tut!

Clothing and Armor are pretty-much the same process.

Custom Cuirass in Blender
Easy Rigging in Blender

Huh? Do you mean how to make them available for sale? There is a link to a tutorial in the 3rd section for creating unique items rather than texture replacers.

LHammonds

It is very professional.
Thank you very much.

I've some question. Wenn I make some "mods" in the TESConstruction Set and then I save them. I couldn't overright the old file if I start the TESConstruction Set once again.
So I must make a new save.
Do you know something to put all the saves together?

ps.: I'm sorry for my poor english.

When you're loading up data in the CS: Double click on Oblivion.esm, then click on the plugin you want to work on and click on "Set as Active file". This will alow you to save changes to that plugin.

Thanks so much you've saved me alot of but hey I was wondering do you know how to make your own visual effects? it's been driving me crazy, I just want to try to make my own visual effect for a spell but I have no idea how to, what programs to use or what, I have tes construction set, blender and nifskope. thanks, this is my first ever post so... yeah it's probably in the wrong place or something...

demonman562, you are in the right area, you just need to start a new topic and make sure the description is clear and concise so those that might have a solution can be easily drawn to it.

I have not bothered doing this because I believe it overwrites existing effects and thus has immediate compatibility issues.

LHammonds

I have been looking everywhere for how to edit the loot tables-- I know a lot of mods that do it, (OOO, etc.), but I have yet to find a tutorial or howto. Could someone please point me in the right direction?

This is another area that I avoid which causes contention between mods so I cannot answer your question regarding "HowTo" nor is it likely I will ever be "in-the-know"

Like the suggestion in my prior post, I recommend making a new thread, possibly at multiple sites asking this question and be sure the title is clear and concise so it attracts those with the knowledge to look inside.

Posting a thread in this "General Mod Talk" is a good idea. Posting a question in the Official Construction Set forum would be another good place.

LHammonds

Ok alot That's helped me alot too, thanks again for making this thread, it's helped me alot and saved me alot of .

Yea, so I'm new here, and have been trieng to mod step by step, but I have a problem, and do not and at all know where to post this, I have tried other threads, but still left me clueless(not reply, just skimmed them)...after I save a mod(which this time is a mod I plan to release as a test), and quit out of CS, and get back to change it, I have to make a NEW Mod Save for some reason, and after which it erases all the other stuff from that previous mod, so Im left with, keeping it open or just going on with an unfinished mod...Is their a way around this or what, and if you don't know, do you know where I can go for answers? And If this is in the wrong thread, My Sincere Apology. I am not much with the whole gaming forums thing. Nor Modding, I have just started.

A simple problem!

When you are loading the mod, you just checkmark it, and load. What you need to do is load it as an active file. To do this, find the mod, and click it until it says "Active File" or something like that and continue on loading.

Woa! Thanks! It's finally working again! This will let me finish multiple mods I dropped due to this simple problem that seemed I could not solve, Thanks again for your help...one more question that has been bugging me. It seems when I try to find a certain Interior for a Cell it seems to be held in some other folder, is their a way where I can make a new folder, and put the Interiors I need into it, for easy access, all help is appreciated!

I have a problem!!! I created a mod in the TES CS and I made a script but i klickted on Recompile all. year. and now in the game, when i talk to somebody, he has no greetings.

Well, you should not have hit the "Recompile All" button. Now every script in the game is now duplicated inside your plugin which is also likely to be about 2,000 kb in size as opposed to 2 kb in most plugins.

Because of this, you are now quite likely to be incompatible with a VERY large number of mods.

I would suggest starting a new plugin. If you spent too much time with that plugin and do not want to create a new one, you will need to painstakingly go through your plugin and delete all the duplicates (ouch).

Common Mistakes
Mod Cleaning Tutorial
Modding Etiquette

LHammonds

Hi,

I'm currently using a body type that doesn't have much armor compatibility from other mods, so I was wondering if you know of a specific tutorial for taking existing armor and reworking it to fit on a different body.

Thank you

Adapting Armor With Lattices in Blender

Links to Rigging Tutorials

LHammonds

Great, thank you so much

Would you please tell me where i could get the tools needed.
possibly for free.

Do you realize the article lists the programs by name and provides links to where they can be downloaded (noted by underlines)?

LHammonds